Witron solution for complete product assortment in all temperature ranges

The EDEKA corporate group Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thueringen (one out of seven regional German corporate groups) has selected Witron as the general contractor for its latest logistics and picking system. Witron's solutions will be used in the new 515,000 ft2 logistics centre located in Berbersdorf, Germany. The plant, located at the Autobahn 4 – A4 Highway, will supply 520 EDEKA markets with more than 12,000 different articles. The logistics centre is planned for an assortment of dry and perishable food, gourmet food, meat, fruits, vegetables, and frozen goods. The ramp-up process will happen in multiple steps and is planned to start in summer 2014. It will be completed by the first quarter of 2015.

Witron's OPM (dry goods assortment), DPS (dry goods assortment / meat), ETP (gourmet food / frozen goods), and CPS (gourmet food / fruits + vegetables) solutions will enable EDEKA to pick up to 378,000 cases onto pallets, roll containers, insulated containers, or totes on a peak day. All workplaces in the entire material flow process were designed according to the latest ergonomic standards.

Based on the implemented Witron technology, all processes of the logistics centre will be logically and physically integrated. This includes not only the actual storage and picking, but also the upstream and downstream processes like receiving, replenishment, empty pallet handling, and the shipping process. The consequence for EDEKA: high transparency, lowest error rates, and optimization regarding service and logistics costs.

Following the storage and picking, an automated dispatch buffer will organize and optimize the entire shipping process. The dispatch buffer is divided into different temperature zones. It stores and sorts order pallets, roll containers, and insulated containers, and transports those in a consolidated manner and in mixed mode via dispatch lanes to the dispatch gates. This is done using the shortest route, sequence-friendly, and just-in-time.

With the EDEKA corporate group Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thueringen, whose revenue amounted to 3 billion Euros in 2012 and some 25,000 employees, five EDEKA regional companies have now opted for Witron solutions.